Roblox
A guide for families with key information about ‘Roblox’, including the age rating, key terminology, risks and instructions for enabling parental controls and safety settings.
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Roblox is a tremendously popular free online game creator platform where over 50 million daily players come together to play, create and share experiences. Instead of being just one game created by a large gaming developer, there are various types of games available in the Roblox library which are user-generated, meaning they have been built by public members of the Roblox community. There are currently over 24 million games available on the platform. As the games are user-generated, the options of games available to play continually changes. The popularity of individual games on the platform changes frequently, but there are long standing favourites such as Adopt Me, Jailbreak and Bloxburg.
Official age rating
This is a PEGI rated 7 Game.
Roblox is PEGI rated 7 but users need to be particularly careful with this rating because Roblox is not one game but a constantly evolving library of games. The formal PEGI rating therefore only covers the basic system and Roblox sample games.
The App Store rate Roblox as 12+ whilst Google Play have rated it as ‘Parental Guidance’. There are no age verification methods used when creating an account, so ensure your child has entered their correct date of birth to benefit from some of the safety settings. Users who want to access 17+ content will need to upload a selfie and a photo of government-issued ID to verify their age.
The terms of service for Roblox states that under 18s should seek parental consent to use the platform.
Find out more about age ratings in our ‘A parent and carer’s guide to age ratings of apps and games’.
How children and young people use the app
Roblox is a free, fun and social game where young people can easily make friends and interact with people from around the world. They can build, create and engage in imaginative play as well as communicate with each other. Children and young people enjoy Roblox because of the endless variety of new kinds of games and modes to try. These range from murder mystery to obstacle courses or roleplay. They can also customise their avatars and homes with furnishings to impress their friends through in game purchases. It is a game popularised as a platform of creativity with a big online community.
“The reason I like Roblox is because I can play it with friends and family and there are hundreds of games to play on it.” (Child, aged 12)
Key features and terminology
Potential risks
Content
The most notable content risk to be aware of in Roblox is that it houses a user-generated library of games, so the potential to see inappropriate content is always there. There have been cases of new games being uploaded to the Roblox platform which contain explicit images and content and because the platform is user generated, this content is not always taken down immediately. Role play games on the platform have been called into question after players were able to simulate sex acts, with in-game chat contributing to the sexual narrative within the game. These games are sometimes referred to as ‘Condos’. It is important to check in on the content of the game your child is playing because new games become popular all the time and appropriateness of the content may change. It is important to note that games on the platform can be easily replicated, changed very slightly and subtly renamed. This results in some younger players accessing a game which they think they have played before, that now contains content which they were not expecting and may be harmful. Parents should regularly check the games their children are playing and vet the content first before their child plays it independently.
Parents and carers should be aware that when ‘Account restrictions’ have been enabled, players can only access the Roblox curated content on the platform, which are generally rated under 13. These games may contain some mild cartoon combat, but the list is restricted to only games that are less violent and do not feature guns. It is recommended that parents and carers should play the games alongside your child to ensure the games they are accessing are suitable for their age and stage of development.
The in-game chat function is often where players may stumble across inappropriate content in the form of bad language. Roblox has in-built chat filters to remove inappropriate content from the platform, which are applied by default to account holders under 13, but users over 13 can remove this filter by choice. Whilst this safeguarding measure is in place to help protect younger users on the platform, it should not be solely relied on as a means to avoid exposure to inappropriate content. It is still possible that your child may be exposed to bad language or mature content within the chat function. By restricting who your child can access on the platform, your child is less likely to experience language or behaviour that is not suitable for their age.
Roblox has expanded on the types of games and themes that can be offered on Roblox, notably for young people aged 17+. Roblox has stated that this content may feature more references to adult topics such as intense violence, alcohol, and gambling. Whilst this content requires age verification to use, it is especially important that parents and carers ensure that account restrictions are enabled to help prevent your child from seeing harmful or confusing content on Roblox. Information about setting account restrictions or designating allowed experiences can be found in the ‘Managing interactions and content’ section of this guide.
Connecting with others
The most significant risk on Roblox is the interactivity, as it is a platform that is popular with adults and children and young people alike. This risk can be managed for children and young people by setting ‘Account restrictions’. There have been cases where predators have used the platform to initiate a relationship, gain contact details and move them to another chat platform. Speak to your child about the risks of chatting with strangers and explain the importance of not sharing any personal or identifiable information with other players within chats. Encourage them to tell you if they have been asked more personal questions or have experienced anything that makes them uncomfortable within Roblox chat. Some gamers use third party chatting apps like Discord to chat whilst gaming. Ask your child if they are using any additional chatting apps whilst playing and check who they are communicating with. Although chatting is an appealing part of gaming, it is not essential in order to play.
Users should also be aware of the risks associated with being able to trade with others. Roblox states that it cannot undo trades, so some players may take advantage of this to scam or mislead other players and take their items, like player accessories or avatar clothing, without completing the trade properly. This can be particularly confusing or upsetting for children and young people and they may find it more difficult to trust other users or even their own friends after they have been scammed. Ensure your child only trades with known contacts, such as family members or friends they know in real life. It is also important to remind your child to be aware of what a scam may look like, such as making one user send their items first or allowing other users to ‘borrow’ an item or account.
The party feature allows small groups of players to easily join each other’s games and continue chatting as a group. Parties are only enabled for friends, meaning that only a friend on Roblox can add another player to a party. It should be acknowledged that, like other online group chat settings, players may encounter online bullying that can occur in a Roblox Party. There is also some potential to be exposed to inappropriate and sexually explicit language within a Party. It is recommended that your child does not join any parties with players they do not personally know in order to reduce the risk of them experiencing hurtful and inappropriate behaviour. You should also ensure your child knows how to leave a party or not be invited to a party, instructions for both can be found in the ‘Managing interactions and content’ section of this guide.
User behaviour
Roblox has its own set of Community Rules, which all players must adhere to in order to play. Players who deviate from the expected behaviour risk being removed from the game. Speak to your child about what is appropriate behaviour when playing a multiplayer game and ensure they know how to report inappropriate or offensive behaviour. All players should be careful about what they share within in-game chat. Ensure your child knows it can be difficult to keep ownership of any content once it has been shared online, as it can easily be copied and reposted without their knowledge and can then become difficult to remove from the internet. Players who also want to create and develop their own games on the platform should be mindful of what is and is not appropriate to share. Remind players that they have a responsibility to conform to the community rules and should not produce anything that other players could find upsetting or offensive.
Design, data and costs
Roblox is free to play but does have significant in-app purchases. These can be very persuasive for younger children who spend a lot of time on Roblox, and they may not understand the risks of spending money in this way. Speak to your child about in-app purchases and ensure they understand that real money is used to make purchases within the game. You can also set up relevant in-app purchase settings on your device. It is also important to check that the game is not linked to your bank cards or financial details. It has also been reported that Robux have been used to exploit some younger players on the platform, with the promise of Robux in exchange for chats and interaction. It is important that your child knows to tell a trusted adult if they have been asked to chat in exchange for Robux.
Tips for keeping your child safe
Additional tips
There is detailed parent information available in the ‘About’ section of the main menu, which you can access by clicking on the three dots.
Roblox has a dedicated parents information page which provides parents with more information about the platform.